Sewing-machine guide



J. M. MERROW SEWING MACHINE GUIDE Filed Jan. '7, 1924 In venfior:

His Attorneys.

Jose vb- MMerrow E face suitably material, especially will seamed-material indicating the 1 Referring to the drawings,

Patented Nov. 15,- 1 927. g

1,649,360 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. JOSEPH. M.

MERROW, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIdNOR TO THE MERRO'W MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- our.

snw memacnmn GUIDE.

Application filed January 7, 1924. Serial No. 654,825.

This invention relates to sewing machine ides and more particularlyto a formof guide adapted to facilitate the application of stitching of uniform depth upon an edge 5 or superposed edges of material along which irregularities occur produced as by seams extending across the material transversely to the line of stitching to be applied thereto. Such irregularities, if they traverse" a surmargin or portions of material wherein no transverse seams occur, have a tendency during contact with said surface to deflect the where it is folded, and

to produce .an undesirable decrease in the plied. While imperfection of this sort is objectionable in, edge finishing of various character, it is especially so in blind stitch hemmingwhere a definite depth of stitch should be accurately maintained to insure proper inclusion of material within" the edge enclosing stitches,

The provision of an edge ,guide mounted shifted to compensate for the deflecting influence of marginal irregularities in the workis primaril the object of this invention. Further o jects of the invention, as hereinafter more fully appear, include the provision of acter mentioned in combination with trimming mechanism and a device to facilitate forming ablind stitch hem.

Inthe accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is a view of a portion of an overseaming machine showing a preferred form of embodiment of my invention.

' Figure 2, is a plan view showing a shiftable guide and its relation to certain other parts.

Figure 3, is a sectional view in a plane indicated-by line 33' of Fig. 2, showing a guide and a gauge member in effective rela- 4 tion for blind stitch hemming.

a detail view of transversely manner 0 blind stitch Figure 4, is

' folding the fabric to form a hem.

an overs'eaming machine .of the Merro'w type, (see United States Patents #733,760 and 1,Q94=,858)

is partially illustrated, wherein the stitch forming mechanism includes the'needle 1,

disposed for guiding a regular depth of stitching apgin suitable to receive in .a manner whereby it may be quickly an edge guide of the charsecured to and looper 2, which together with a lower looper (not shown) cooperate to form and appl overedge stitches to material compris-- mg t e work as it isadganced by feed mechanism across the work supporting plate 3, and needle plate 4, 1ncluding presserfoot 5, and feed dogs 6 and 7; I"

Mechanism operable in a'well known manner for trimming the work simultaneously with the application of stitches thereon, is indicated in a general way by 8. It includes the normally stationary-cutter 9, and a, movable cutter 10, which are arranged for lateral adjustment by virtue of which to vary the distance between the line of trimming and the line of needle penetrations and thus to provide for obtaining any width of maroveredge stitching. In the formation of a blind stitch hem, such as the machine illustrated is designed to produce, (see Fig. 4:) an edge of material, as 12, prepared by the trimmers, is secured said feed mechanism r' by overedge .stitches to 'a folded edge 13,

which is directed to receive the needle penetrations as indicated,'by a guide 14:, while 15. To permit oftheir lateral adjustment for normal cooperation in directing work to the stitching elements said edge guide and gauge member are mounted on a carrier or slide 16, the latter being in dovetail relation with a support 17 the machine frame as by screw 18.

Adjustment of the slide is effected by a knurled headed screw 19, threaded into support '17, and having a flange or collar in engagement with a groove 20, in said slide, the latter having associated therewith by screw 21, a clamping block 22, by means of which the slide, in any desired adjustment, may be securely maintained against accidental displacement.

In Fig. 1, gauge member 15, is illustrated in a position in which itmay readily be placed out of the way when not required for the work to be done, or temporarily out of the way to facilitate "preliminary arrangement of material upon the work sup-port preparatory to forming a blindstitch hem.

After such preliminary arrangement of the work for hemming, the gauge member is which it is shown To permit slide by screw 32. The position of the guide adjustable by screw 32, and

guide may be 'of an operator are required for v I claim 1s,-

the stitch receiving folded edge of material in contact with guide 14, and to gauge the width of-fold which determines the depth of hem to be produced. Any suitable arrangement may be provided for moving the gauge to positions effective or non-effective as set forth, that shown comprises a pivotal joint including pin 24, ablock 25, secured to slide 16, by screw 26, and a block 27 to which the gauge member is secured by screw 28.

Referring now to guide 14, it will be obvious that its normal relation to the stitchingelements, or that position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is suitable, when engaging an even uninterrupted edge of ma terial, to direct said edge to receive needle penetrations along a line as indicated in Fig, 4. If this normal relation of the guide were maintained duringan interval when an irregularity of the fabric edge traversed the effective engaging surface of the guide, the material would be pushed beyond the alignment required to produce the desired result, and frequently the amount of such displacement would result in failure of the needle to penetrate the material in the vicinity of the irregularity thereby causing skipped stitches. Such objectionable displacement of the fabric edge may be eliminated by slightly shifting the guide during contact therewith of an irregularity such as produced by a transverse seam as 23, see Fig. 4. of thus shifting the guide it may, about midway of its length, be pivotally secured to slide 16, by a screw as 29. Contact between one end of the guide and a shoulder 30, of slide 16, limits in one direction, such movement of the guide as that imparted by a spring 31, which is held in a bore of the assumed under the influence of said spring is that which has been referred to as normal with respect to the stitching elements. To compensate for such deflection of the work as would'occur due to an irregularity in its edge, said guide, by suitablemeans, as by arm 33, may be moved by an operator against the pressure of spring'31, the amount of such movement bein limited in accord: ance with requirements y a'stop, rendered comprising a'rod 31. While the edge con-venlently controlled by means of arm 33, it will be understood that additional means (not shown) operable asby foot or knee pressure, may be provided available for use in the event that both hands manipu- 34, surrounded by spring lation of the work.

Having described my invention, what of the latter.

' 1. In a sewing mochine, in combination, a work support, a' movable carrier, an edge guide secured to the carrier and-movable thereon about an axis perpendicular to the work support, a spring for moving the edge guide to a normal position on the carrier,

means for moving the edge guide from said normal position, and adjustable means for limiting the amount of movement imparted to the edge guide.

2. In a sewing machine, in combination a, work support, a movable carrier, an edge guide secured to the carrier and movable thereon about an axis perpendicular to the Work support, and a gauge member secured to the carrier and movable thereon about an axis parallel with the work support whereby it' may be moved into posit-ion to cooperate with the edge guide.

3. In a sewing machine, in combination, a work support, a movable carrier, an edge guide secured to the carrier and movable thereon about an axis perpendicular to the work support, a spring for moving the edge guide to a normal position on the carrier, means for moving the edge guide from said normal position, and a. gauge member movably secured to the carrier for cooperation with the edge guide in different positions of a the latter. a,

4.-1he combination in a sewing machine including a Work-support, stitching elements,

and trimming devices, of a support, a carrier movable on the support, an edge guide,

a gauge adapted to hold a fold of material against the edge guide and to cooperate with the edge guide and trimmin devices to de fine an amount of mate-ria for a definite depth of hem, means for associating the edge guide with the carrier whereby said edge guide may be moved to-vary its relation to the stitching elements, meaifsfor associating the gauge with the carrier whereby said gauge maybe moved out of proximity to the edge guide, and means for adjusting the carrier upon the support to'thereby vary therelation of the guide and ing elements and trimming devices.

, 5. An attachment for facilitating blind sticii hemming on sewing machines, including in combination, a support, a carrier adjustably secured-to the support, a I

shiftable edge guide secured to the carrier, means for automatically moving the edge guide to a normal position, and a auge member secured to the carrier indepen ently of the edge guideand mevablev on the carrier to different positions in one of which it is effective to holdav fold of materiab against the edge guide in different positions J E H maaow.

gauge to the stitch- 

